A natural red agate of 21.30 carats, about 23.41 ratti, at Rs. 14,900 – exactly Rs. 700 per carat. It is the largest stone in our red agate tray, and it is cut as a flat-topped octagon.

The cut, measured

This stone fills 90% of its bounding box, where an oval or a circle fills about 79%. The difference is corners: it has an emerald-cut outline – a rectangle with the corners taken off – and a broad level table rather than a dome. That is a deliberate lapidary choice, not an accident of shape, and it is why this listing calls the stone polished rather than a cabochon.

Polish, and what it does for agate

Polish matters more on agate than on a transparent gem. A faceted stone gets most of its life from light bouncing around inside it; an opaque or barely translucent stone gets nearly all of it from the surface. A properly finished table reflects cleanly and makes the colour look deeper, while a tired polish makes even good material look flat and chalky. On a broad flat face like this one, every bit of that surface is on show, so the quality of the finish is doing a lot of the work.

The colour

About 92% of this stone's face reads as saturated red, and it is one of the lighter stones here – roughly 48% of the surface reads as dark, against 94% for the darkest in this category. Expect a clear, bright red that holds its colour in ordinary indoor light rather than needing a window to come alive.

Size

At over twenty-one carats, around twenty-three ratti, this is a large object. It makes a substantial pendant or a bold statement ring, and it is realistically too big for comfortable everyday wear on the hand. A setting will need to be made for it.

Hardness

Agate is chalcedony, Mohs 6.5 to 7, with no cleavage planes. Corners are the weak point of any flat cut, so a setting that protects them is worth asking for.

What is not established

No laboratory report, and the treatment has not been tested. Red agate is often heated or dyed to deepen or even out its colour. We do not claim this one is untreated, and no origin is recorded for it.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap, a soft cloth. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steam and bleach. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural red agate with a weight of 21.3 Carat. Its price is Rs. 14,900 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-RE-0018 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

Above twelve carats you are into collector territory. Pieces this heavy are usually set as pendants or kept loose, and they are prized for the size of rough they came from. If you do set it, choose a bezel or a heavy claw to protect the edges.

On the Mohs scale red agate rates 6.5 to 7. That is middle-of-the-road hardness: comfortable in pendants and earrings, and in rings worn with some care. Store it apart from harder stones so it does not pick up scratches, and wipe it with a damp cloth rather than scrubbing.

Whoever you buy red agate from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every red agate for those three points before it is listed, a certificate is available on request, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. Certificate available on request. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Red agate is often heated or dyed to deepen its colour. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.